


Two lives with you

by dilcirisse



Category: Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fix-It, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-25 11:34:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dilcirisse/pseuds/dilcirisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fill for the prompt: Gimli and Legolas time travel after the coronation of Aragorn by accident and end up in the quest to reclaim Erebor- How does the company deal with these two time travelers- especially given that Gimli is Gloin's son and given the dwarfs hatred of Elves how will they perceive the friendship between the pair.<br/>--<br/>Now with the explicit warning filled.<br/>Just skip chapter 10 to avoid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not in Minas Tirith anymore

**Author's Note:**

> Now Beataed by the wonderful midge_x give many thanks, any remaining mistakes are mine :D  
> Chapters that are currently fixed 1-9  
> Still not passed trough beta: 10-?  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------  
> The prompt link: http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/702.html?thread=524990#t524990

The first inkling that something was wrong was the amount of light (even for their too-bright-for-his-taste Minas Tirith room), the second that the bed felt more like the ground, and the obvious third that he most certainly didn't go to sleep with his armor on. Maybe it was Legolas' familiar weight curled against his back that slowed down his reaction time, but it took too long for Gimli's taste to register all that. When it did he was up with a roar that startled awake the elf by his side, ax ready in his hands. But there was nobody there, and surprisingly the landscape was so familiar it took his breath away, mountains at their back, plains before them, a forest and a single solitary peak in the distance. Legolas, still at his back, bow in hand, covering them from a nonexistent threat, also tensed in recognition.

"Erebor?"

"And Mirkwood. How have we awakened here, anoren, so far away from where we laid to rest?"

"I have no idea, laddie, but by my beard we are going to find out."

"We are not far away from the old road, on the shapeshifter's lands; we should seek my father's help."

"Ah, good, I have missed the ever enriching experience of being locked up in small damp places."

He followed the elf toward the forest anyway, his joke, like always, went unappreciated except for a soft snort.

"He hardly ever does that anymore, I could always smuggle you in my pocket if things get testy tough."

"HA, feeling very clever today, are we?"

"I thought that me being the brains on this partnership would be an established fact by now, anoren."

"Not a chance laddie, Aragorn was the brains, sadly he is now too busy with his puppy love, and he has the whole king thing for when the missus is busy. So if we are to be led astray by that pretty head of yours, it's a good thing I am here to fix the inevitable mess."

Gimli made sure to reach and wrap a hand around the other's waist, their banter a familiar companion, warm eyes always draining any possible poison out of it; he got a soft hip push back. They walked in silence, side by side, and if the familiar landscape gave comfort, the strangeness of their arrival weighed on him. Legolas' lost gaze seemed to indicate that similar thoughts were brewing in his mind. Gandalf would hit them both with that white cane of his for losing themselves like this. Forgetting the road to the point where they didn't hear the horses, they were literally face-to-face with them after rounding a hill. But some reflexes were automatic by this point, and Legolas has his bow ready and aimed way before, oh Mahal, Kili does. Kili AND Fili, who looked exactly like they did that fateful morning they said goodbye with impish grins, promising to tell him everything when the dragon was slain since "little" Gimli didn't have his mommy's permission to go. It takes all of his willpower for his eyes not to water. A quick glance toward his astonished father's bright red beard and Gimli knew where and when they were. Legolas' awed comment by his side was almost unnecessary.

"Please tell me we are not 80 years in the past."

"Fine, I won't tell you, but I don't think that's going to make it stop happening."

In the middle of the chaos their words generated, Gimli sees Thorin Oakenshield's piercing blue eyes settle with suspicion and anger on his elf. He gave thanks to the Valar that he was not a child anymore, that he had seen war, death and terrors not of this world, and that he had seen the Eye fall, because Gimli just knows this won't be pretty. In the meantime his father seemed to be taking this worse than he expected, because he passed out, and off of his pony.

\-----------------------------------------  
Here is where I indulge in my vocabulary porn  
Mahal(Khuzdul) = Aulë => Valar = Minor Gods  
Anoren(Sindarin) => Sun = Anor; nin= my. Anor nin = My Sun, the possessive suffix for nin is -en, usually used when emotion/affection is involved so: Anoren


	2. So we are in the past?

"Fine mess we've got ourselves, eh laddie?"

Gimli gave a glance to the other hedge of the clearing where his uncle was still trying to reanimate his shocked father, a pair of feather-headed dwarfs were staring open mouthed while the rest just acted suspicious, and while a certain curly-headed hobbit was staring with something Gimli recognized by now as Tookish curiosity. The king under the mountain's glare kept getting harder and harder to ignore. Legolas hummed by his side, close but still farther away than they were accustomed. Best not tempt luck so early in the game, especially since they were granted the time they asked to put their thoughts in order.

"There has to be a reason for us to be here, it's not like one just goes around hopping in time by accident."

He could feel his elf's worried eyes on the hand stroking his beard, a common nervous tick of his. He had no idea how to deal with this kind of grand-purpose thing - that was always Gandalf or Aragorn's job. He was more of the "whack things till they work" kind. Most importantly, if they were sent back for a reason, what reason? What should they disclose or not, and what would the consequences of doing it be?

"I remember this..."

Legolas voice was unusually low even for the soft-tempered elf.

"...I was there...or rather I am...."

He jerked his head, motioning toward the forest.

"...there, somewhere. What I'm trying to say is that I remember them. I didn't see much when they were in the dungeons but I accompanied father to the battle. It was my first one, but nobody expected much. They were fighting for gold after all, the moment things started to get to serious somebody would relent, that was what father said. Suddenly everybody was fighting for their lives, with no back up, no position to defend, three uncoordinated armies, tired and caught by surprise. It was terrible, like fish in a barrel. I don't remember feeling the same amount of despair till that day at Helms Deep."

Gimli remembered that too, how young Legolas had looked, big scared eyes looking at Aragorn and himself, so close to the edge. It had finally driven home how immature for an elf he was, like his wide-eyed wonder of pretty much everything they had found on their journey hadn't before.

"Nobody won that day, I think in some ways everybody lost, and when he...when he died, I saw the hobbit, Bilbo, I didn't know his name back then, but he cried for hours outside the tent. Father too, back at home, where nobody could see him but me."

Legolas had slowly curled around himself trough his speech, with a watery, faraway look on his face, one that he has never seen before, and he just wanted to hold him, scowling king under the mountain be damned. The elf stopped him by starting to speak again.

"Maybe that's why we're here, to undo the pain."

He felt like his throat was full of cotton. He looked again, to Fili and Kili - who up to this point were washed images in his early memories, playing by the fire, that "See you later" that turned into forever; Thorin, more myth than man; a lonely hobbit weighted by guilt for the rest of his life; his uncle lost to the lake, Ori waiting for death in the shadows, and Balin, a cold marble slab that nobody would visit. He had to force himself to speak.

"What about the ring? What about us?"

Legolas dropped his head on his shoulder. At the edge of their vision the rest of the dwarfs gaped, and Gimli wondered if Thorin's gaze could actually make them catch flames just by sheer force of will.

"I would like to think that no matter which life we would always find each other again anoren. About the ring..."

Legolas flinched and twitched nervously.

"...I think we should keep quiet."

He could see where Legolas' thought process was going to. It might be one thing to change the fate of a misfit band of dwarfs and their kingdom, but to try and wipe out 80 years of the world could very easily lead to disaster. He patted the blonde head, feeling the need to lighten the mood before choking on it.

"Who knew there was actually something between those pointy ears of yours?"

He got a swat for his troubles, and a cheeky grin.

"Are you going to tell his highness that he is going to get help from an elf, want it or not, or should I?"

"Better be done by someone he won't try to kill in reflex, laddie. Ready for an adventure then?"

Now the cheeky smile was more like smug.

"Are you kidding? Do you know how much time I have resented that I didn't get a shot at that dragon?"

Now he just needed to go and convince Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain, to both believe them and let them help. Yep, only that.


	3. My son

When Gloin woke up to his brother hovering above him in worry, he allowed himself the delusion that he had just had a bad dream because of the unhealthy amounts of honey they had gorged on at Beorn's house. The shouting around him quickly put those illusions to rest.

"Even if you are indeed who you claim to be..."

Gimli (because he is Gimli, of that at least Gloin holds no doubt) stood firm before Thorin Oakenshield, ax held defensively in front of him, returning glare for glare and push for push. His son was a great dwarf, and even if he was currently antagonizing his king, he couldn't be more proud. Most of the company was close to where his brother had laid him to rest, but Dwalin and Balin were at Thorin's sides, and the hobbit was sitting with the elf closer to the discussion, both clearly amazed by the display as if it were a play instead of the dangerous confrontation boiling.

"He is..."

Everybody shut up and looked at Gloin while he rose from the ground.

"...I don't pretend to know how or why, but he is my son."

"Da...."

They looked at each other, and in his son's open expression he could see traces of the excitable, adventurous boy he left at home in this stranger's hard rock face. Thorin seethed regardless, obviously not yet placated, and Gimli's face closed down, returning his dark gaze to the problem at hand.

"Even if he is your son we can't be sure of his intentions, nor do we know why he travels with THAT."

Gimli's face grew darker while the king practically spat in the elf's direction, and he made a show of baring his teeth. For a second, he worried he'd have to intervene if the fool decides to throw himself at Thorin. Dwalin seems to think the same because he adjusts his knuckle busters. One quick glace to the elf shows a serene face apparently not in the least taken back by the insult.

"As Gimli says, we are here to help. Not only would crossing the forest be easier with my help, but I could convince my father that..."

"Your father....!"

Now Thorin was truly enraged. Gloin saw Bilbo inch away carefully, while Dori moved his little brother to the back of the company, and Kili could only follow what was happening over his brother's shoulder.

"...that traitor? He is more likely to imprison us than help us. Is that what this is about? A trap to stop us from reclaiming what is rightfully ours, by elvish treachery and sorcery."

Thorin's sprint toward the elf, sword in hand, ended suddenly when he found an axe in his face. Gloin didn't even see his son move, nor did the others apparently, because nobody had time to react. Everybody waited, breaths held tight, Dwalin in turn advanced with his own axes in hand just to be meet with a of elvish arrow right by his eye, the elf whisper was low but somehow audible to all.

"You would not be the first to die before attempting to reach him"

Just by their side the standby continued were angry blue eyes met equally angry brown ones, four bodies in tension ready to spring into action in a moment’s notice.

"Mahal help me, Thorin Oakenshield, but if you dare, I swear my hand will not falter."

"So you show your true colors. You side with our enemies to the point of treason to your king."

The axe was drawn back with a mirthless laugh.

"My king? You are not my king, Thorin Oakenshield. Your mindless sprint toward destruction will take care of that."

The meaning behind the words made a cold shiver go through his spine, faces around him grew somber, and the hobbit looked about to cry. Thorin just looked angrier.

"You insinuate that we will fail, that our purpose will be defeated by that beast. I don't believe you."

His son hummed, still smiling, an ugly, broken parody of happiness, he gave a wave to the elf and the bow was put away as quick as it had appeared

"The beast, the dragon? Oh no, you will defeat the dragon. Erebor will rise to greatness again..."

Any exhilaration they may have felt at this news didn't last long.

"...but you will not rule it, nor will your heirs."

And the anguished look that he gave the king's nephews didn't need explanation, it was also very real. Thorin seemed struck by the words as if they had slapped him, Kili asked his brother what Gimli meant by that, and Fili didn't answer but he looked about to be sick.

"No you will not lose to the dragon, nor will you lose Erebor, or even the gold. Your madness won't destroy our people, just your family."

Gimli dropped by his elf's, whom had returned to sit on the floor, still eyeing both Dwalin and Thorin with caution. His son instead looked old and miserable, way older than he should have looked, like a mountain weathered for millennia. The elf looked at him with something akin to worry in his bright ageless face, but it was hard to tell. Bilbo, who has long moved from his initial spot, seemed to be crying, bundled against Kili, who seemed to have finally caught up. Both were halfway hidden by Fili's protective arms. The rest of the company exchanged alarmed looks. Thorin's shoulders drooped; his body suddenly limp with defeat, it was the same face he made every time someone brought up the theme in question, half fear, half shame. Maybe it was because his son’s words resonated on that part of every Durin that feared himself more than anything left in the world but that was when he finally believed the dire news Gimli brought them. Thorin seemed to believe them to.

"Thorin you cannot believe that…."

"Please Dwalin, we both knew before this quest even started it was on the cards"

"You cannot give up just because someone who claims to be our cousin and an _elf_ say so"

"I have not said I would do, even if I believed their words without doubt, it’s too late, we cannot stop now."

Gimli rose from his spot and again intruded in Thorin’s space, eyes locked and angry, whatever had happened to his little boy that allowed him to push kings around and see them eye to eye, Gloin didn’t want to know.

"No, but you have us, and maybe that will be enough."

The king nodded, and while the look he gave the elf says that matter wasn't closed yet, a wavering truce settled over the glade. The overwhelming tension drained away, allowing them to breathe.


	4. Stew and lembas

Having decided camping in the open would not be wise, they entered the forest, preferring the looming protection of the trees (no matter how threatening they seemed) to being easy targets on the moors. After they set camp per their new guide's indications, Bilbo finally had time to think and take in everything that happened. Even if he had long since calmed down, the thought of losing his new little family, especially the brothers, silly cheerful things that they were, made his heart clench painfully. But right now he preferred to be distracted by the youngest one's antics, and he was indeed surprised and envious at how quickly Kili could rebound from the news of his own death. While his uncle and brother's jaws were still set and worried as they planned their movements around the fire with Dwalin, Balin, Gloin and...Gimli? Kili was moving around the glade backwards with a deep frown of concentration, following the movements of the elf, Legolas?, on the branches above their heads.  
Apparently the elves had hidden provisions and hideouts all around the place just for this kind of situation, stashed away from possible thieves or animals, high in the trees where he was currently rummaging around. It wasn't hard to follow his movements through the foliage, as he glowed, like he could shine light on his own. So if Kili was obviously the one most enthralled, it did not mean he was the only one keeping tabs on his activity. Bilbo was one of those, though by far the less suspicious and more intrigued one. The elf was an enigma, even more serene than the ones at Rivendell, and more disquieting. There was something almost eerie about him, but the others don't comment on that, which made him think it must be a Mirkwood elf thing. A side effect of living in the creepiest forest in Middle Earth, most likely. He also had a strange sense of humor, which, to be honest, nobody was expecting, alternating between soft-spoken, gentle words and sharp mean snark, quite on par with the dwarvish one.

"Catch. "

Apparently he had decided Kili's attention made him the obvious choice for an attendant, because he was dropping package after package from on high to the young dwarf, who stumbled around in an effort to not let anything hit the ground. It's no wonder when he ultimately fell and disappeared under a pile bigger than himself, to the amusement of everybody watching. Bofur in particular, who was currently almost rolling on the ground at the sight. Legolas jumped down, somehow managing to make absolutely no noise, and offered a hand to the pouting dwarf on the ground with a soft smile. Bilbo could not tell if it was mocking or not.

"I am sorry my friend, it seems I underestimated the package's size, or yours."

And there it was that snark again. Regardless, Kili took the offered hand and got off the ground, but that calculating look was back on his face. It made Bilbo nervous and the elf too, because he seemed to be trying to get away, although his hand was still held firmly by the dwarf. But nothing had time to happen because a shouting match sprang up in the group by the fire. Those seemed to happen periodically, so even if they caught everybody's attention it was no surprise whatsoever. Gimli and Thorin had quickly developed a taste for screaming at the other at top of their lungs.

"What gives you the right to decide what to tell us or not?"

"For start the fact that I do know, and for seconds because we are already toying enough with destiny here to just go around..."

Seeming to have had enough, Fili rose with a roar way to similar to his uncle's.

"It's OUR lives at stake here, MY brother's life; you have no right to..."

"FILI, Fili, look!"

The mood deflated like an out-of-air balloon once everybody turned their sights to Kili. Smiling broadly, he had a shocked-looking elf off the ground, literally sitting on his forearms, trying to keep balance with his hands on the tousled curly head.

"I knew he moved on branches that were wayyyyy too thin. He weighs less than our hobbit."

For a second everybody held their breath, and then the roaring started. It didn't take much time for Bilbo to realize they were all laughing - even Thorin had an almost-smile. But the new dwarf, Gimli, literally had tears in his eyes while he bent clutching his stomach. Kili looked proudly around, obviously enjoying the reaction, and the elf just blushed quite prettily, still trying to get away without it ending with both of them on the forest floor. The laughs faded away slowly while everybody stood there, still watching and not knowing what to say or do, and the moment turning slightly awkward.

"Could you put me down......please?"

That rekindled another round of laughter while Kili let the elf stand on his feet again. Attempting to regain his lost composure, he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before the dwarf took pity on him.

"I am very sorry master elf; my curiosity got the best of me."

And if the little bow he gave was more than slightly mocking the other choose to not comment on it, and gave a nod in acceptance of the apology. Bombur's call to eat came right in time, because Bilbo could see the three by the fire looking like they were about to start again now that the distraction was over. They all curled together by the fire with their bowls of stew and the warm feelings of safe and home were all around him, bundled with Kili and framed between Thorin and Fili, watching the rest of his family laugh and eat around them.

"Lembas bread? LEMBAS BREAD? How can you even stomach that still, and what's this? Dried fruit?"

The elf was rolling his eyes at his companion while nibbling on a thin looking pastry he had got from one of the packages, at the same time trying to get away from the bowl being pushed on his direction.

"You are never going to get any meat on those thin bones of yours with that attitude laddie."

"Mr. Gimli is very right master elf, I don't think those dried...thingies, are very good for you."

"I can tell you boy, grass is not very nutritious."

If somebody had told Bilbo before that he would ever see his dwarves trying to feed an elf, he would have called them crazy. But then if they had told him anything about this day, he would had called them crazy, and yet here they were. Maybe crazy wasn't so bad.


	5. Time to face the music

In the end they find out because of him, which shouldn't be a surprise since he was by far the most detached to their culture and ways, for all that he loved a dwarf. It happened after dinner, and after he had avoided, barely, being fed some murky, watery....thing with floating bits of...something… Legolas really didn't want to know.  
Gimli was sulking while smoking, so he took the time to inspect the hobbit, Bilbo, this famous little person he barely remembered but had heard about so much. Bilbo was, and he really has no other way to say it, a familiar stranger, not only for the stories but for how much of his friends there was in him. For all that he was a Baggins, he was no Frodo, oh no, while he could see the same ingrained gentleness, he had none of Frodo's vulnerabilities. There was more of Merry and Pippin in him, up to the golden messy curls, especially Merry, practical and tough, missing his pipeweed yet capable of stabbing the witch king of Angmar in the knee, or for that matter stealing the arkenstone and trading snark with a dragon. Legolas has never spoken to him directly, yet he is already fond of him. It must be that famous Took fairy blood.  
So lost in his recollections he was, that he missed the start of a little war by his side, only noticing when it escalated.

"This is soooooo unfair."

The younger of the brothers seemed to have finally made peace with the fact that this old battle-worn dwarf was indeed the same as his young playmate, apparently that meant tackling him and pulling on his beard was acceptable.

"Let go, you orc-head, it’s not my fault you can't grow any more whiskers than a man."

An insulted gasp followed by a round of laughs preceded the escalation of the conflict, while they rolled around on the floor.

"Take that back."

Gimli just laughed and pulled one hair off the other's mustaches, earning a pained yelp. He was obviously winning, so it was good that the eldest brother intervened with an exasperated sigh, trying to take him away.

"Kili, Kili, let go of Gimli's beard."

"No."

Was that a pout? Yes, that was a pout.

"Let go! Here, you said you would help me braid mine."

"Don't you dare pity me, Fili!"

One of the elder ones, with the white beard, Balin, supplied his brain, Moria whispered in his heart, and decided diplomacy was needed.

"There, there, lad. There, it's no pity; your friend has had many years to grow that beard. Yours will grow too, eventually. Go with your brother."

Reluctantly, oh so very reluctantly, he lets go of Gimli's beard, who gets away quickly to return to Legolas' side, and to his forcibly abandoned pipe. Kili lets himself be dragged back to their side of the campfire with a sulk on his face, a look that disappeared quickly when he began to use grabby, greedy, hands on his brother's quickly unraveling golden braids. The mood in general relaxed like it should after eating. Most of them pulled their pipes out, and the funny-hat-guy performed a flute song. Even Thorin Oakenshield relaxed against the log he was propped against, blue piercing eyes never leaving the hobbit at his side, who spent more time blushing and stammering than actually smoking. But Legolas' attention was fully on the brothers, and particularly in the braid Kili's quick fingers were making. They looked comfortable, one against the other, full of trust. And maybe it was that, or their very new need to be discreet, but in a bold move, and after checking again to be sure he had the pattern right, he grabbed himself a part of Gimli's own hair and began to braid it.

The very air around them seemed to still but now that he had started he refused to back down, so he keeps working while all the gazes turn toward his dwarf, they were waiting for a reaction. Gimli, to his credit, kept smoking like nothing out of the ordinary were happening, and he held his father's eyes steadily. He has obviously been spending too much time with dwarfs in general, because he wasn't surprised by the explosion that came. It seemed conflict was their preferred method of communication. While he had no idea what they are saying, as the harsh notes were in a language he had never heard except for a few isolated words, he could recognize the tone, and Gloin's pointed finger quite clearly. His dwarf's tone didn't rise though, even after some of the others joined in, nor did he move, letting him keep braiding. He had done a foolish thing, no surprise there. He should have known something this personal would not mean the same when it wasn't brothers who were doing it. Well, they were bound to find out sooner or later, better to do it quick. Gimli tensed by his side and his voice turned rougher. Legolas really wished he knew what they were saying that was beginning to upset him. The big bald one said something harsh that made them cringe, then sneered. His next words were in Westron, obviously meant to be understood by all.

"Is he even chained?"

Now what in the Valars name did that mean? He had no idea, but Gimli spluttered by his side.

"None of your......they.......That's not compulsory."

The older ones give a sharp mean laugh that made his dwarf shoulders slump, in pain or defeat, Legolas doesn't know. He didn't like it, yet he still had no idea what to say or what the problem even was. So he just kept braiding and avoiding all eyes, especially those of his "father".

"He will never understand us, he will never understand YOU."

"He does...."

He wished Gimli's voice would sound surer than that, he really did.

"And yet here you are, behaving like one of them, as if your supposed one-and-only were just a flimsy, passing spell to go away in the next season. Not even worth mentioning, hiding in shame from your own family. Why are you scared, then? Gimli son of Gloin, that even trying to lay your claim will send him running back to his forest, so scared that he didn't even know what braiding your beard would tell the world."

Legolas wished he was like Gimli, that he could shout and be heard half Middle Earth away, or Gandalf whose low, bad-humored growls could weigh like mountains on those who heard them. He was neither, and he had no way to make them believe anything he could say. But what he was, was Thranduilian, so he would not shout but he would look. Ending the braid with finality to make sure everybody's eyes would be on him, he rose, nose clearly upwards, and gave them the best impersonation of his father's contempt he could, the one he would spend hours practicing in the mirror as a elfling.

"I believe, dear father..."

And wasn't seeing HIM splutter instead delightful.

"...that both your son and myself have more than enough years in us to decide with whom and how we wish to belong to."

He gave them a full run with his gaze, letting his father's eyes do the recriminations he could not, even in the direction of the nervous-looking hobbit and the king who had kept conspicuously quiet during the whole exchange. Once he felt everybody that mattered had been cowed enough, he proceeded to sit down again, this time with his back against Gimli's chest, daring anybody to make a comment.

"Mahal, did you saw that, Fili? The old geezers just got told off by an elf."

He was promptly ignored in the subsequent shouting match to defend their honor, even if he heard some insults and Gimli screaming by his ear in his defense. They had to speak, and his beloved had plenty of things to explain, but that could be later, for now they had gone through the first chasm on their path and that was enough.


	6. Chats in the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hu, two chapter updates, sorry for being so late, college its starting again.  
> Anyway this first one its more like a gag one, and a experiment on dialogue in the total darkness. The next one its actual advancement  
> I haven't read the comments since I last answered, and cant right now, but when I come back later today I promise to answer them all. I am sorry if this is kinda pathetic.  
> Ill stop apologizing now or I'll never end.

"So, this king of yours...."

"Mmmmmm."

".....are you listening to me? Are you looking at my....... butt? Stop looking at it."

"Tsk, such language for a prince, and how could I be looking at it, laddie? Unlike you I can barely see my nose in this delightfully gloomy forest of yours."

"Yes, yes you are I can see you."

"......fine, I was picturing it."

"Well stop doing that, I am trying to be serious here."

"So you want to ...talk....lets."

"As I was saying, this king of yours, for not being overly-fond of elves..."

"That's one funny way of putting it."

"....he was strangely silent on the matter of inter-species relationships. One would think he would jump on the opportunity."

"....."

"Gim?"

"There were…ah....always rumors, nothing confirmed since…you know… and afterwards, out of respect for both of the king and the mourning, well, nobody dared to ask."

"So...the hobbit?"

"The hobbit."

"Makes sense but then......Gimli?"

"Yesss?"

"Are you touching my...."

"Maybe."

"Gimli, we are on the ground on a couple of blankets, in a camp with fourteen others, and by the Valar, Gimli, your father is over there."

"Don't fret; they can't see any better than I do."

"What are you doing to my neck, Gimli stop...they...will...hear us."

"If you keep hissing like that of course they will."

"Gimli...... anoren…"

"Lower your voice silly elf, you don't want to be found out but you are moaning enough to wake up a troll."

"We... shouldn't be doing this."

"Don't care, mmm yes there."

"Gim, they must be hearing us."

"...."

"Well, yes they are, and we would be thankful if you kept those noises away from innocent ears."

"Dori, for Mahal's sake, if they stop now because of you I'll.....

"Oh, excuse me? Did I interrupt your perversity?"

"If I weren't half a camp away in the darkness I would cleave your puffy head with my axes, you pompous..."

"Now lads don't fight, I am sure Dori was only worried for..."

"Worried? Worried indeed! I won't have my little brother's ears contaminated with…"

"I don't mi-"

"You are too young to have any say in this!"

"Kili, Kili, where are you going?"

"..."

"No, you can't 'get closer' to see if something is happening, get back here! No, don't fight me!"

"...."

"ARGHH, you bite me, brat, I'll show you-"

"UNCLE, FILI IS HURTING ME!"

"Well, if they were doing something, they most certainly aren't now. Pity."

"Nori, could you, for once, think of Ori's best interests instead of your..."

"I think Ori would like the interests I am looking for right now."

"I knew you were of dubious morals, but if you keep behaving like that beast of..."

"BEAST? You dare insult me, and my honor, you won't be feeling so brave when dawn comes."

"Oh my, how amusing...."

"Lads..."

"UNCLE..."

"I think my brother passed out again."

"Umzûm."

"Yes...thank you, Bifur."

"Thorin, what is happening?"

"SILENCE! We have a long way ahead of us; I won’t have you bickering like dwarflets in the middle of the night AND ATTRACTING EVERY POSSIBLE ENEMY IN EARSHOT."

"...."

"Gimli, beloved, are you ok?"

"I hate them..."

"AND I MEANT EVERYBODY."

"....."

 

"Gim, Gimmm.....GIMLI."

"What? Where? My axe, where is my…"

"Gimli, calm down, nothing is happening. Well, yes, something _is_ happening. Please stop crushing me."

"Oh, right...sorry."

"Thanks."

"...."

"Gimli?"

"Mmmmm?"

"Are you asleep?"

"...Not anymore."

"......Sorry."

"It's ok."

"What did the bald dwarf mean by 'chained?'"

"...ok, now I am really awake. Ermmm, you see... nothing of importance, just, old dwarven stuff."

"Anoren, you know you can't lie to me. You are very bad at it."

"...it's a long explanation."

"I don't mind, let me...mm…move a little...there."

"So the whole "stop crushing me" was so you could get on my lap?"

"Don't flatter yourself; it's only barely more comfortable than the ground. Now get that blanket over us, its cold."

"Better, your highness?"

"Much better, you have pleased us, dwarf."

"Cute."

"....Well?"

"Mmmm?"

"Don't 'mmm' me, s p e a k."


	7. Concerning dwarves

The logistics of settling his long limbs in Gimli's lap were always somewhat complicated, even if he was slighter and weighed considerably less, but it was worth it to end up cradled in the strong arms and legs. Bundled in the blanket, he observed the dwarf finding and lighting his pipe, an action so mechanic by now that he was not in the least impaired by his inability to see in the total darkness, his face barely illuminated by the spark. But Legolas could see, so he gave yet another look around the camp. It wouldn't do to be surprised by nightly predators or something worse. There were movements in the darkness beyond their camp, some beyond where even his gaze could reach, but nothing suspicious. Around them the other dwarves slept in small clusters, except the king who kept watch in the unyielding night, his nephews curled together by his side. Legolas could see a couple of short, puffy, hobbit curls peeking out from the fur of his coat. Satisfied with his reconnaissance, he rested his head on the crook of the arm behind it and settled in, waiting for the other to start speaking.

"He shouldn't have brought it up. It is an ancient dwarf custom, meant to prove both the skill and the wealth of a dwarf groom while serving as a proof of ownership. In ancient times when we were less scrupulous and had more womenfolk, they were quite literally shackles."

Gimli reached for one of his wrists, holding tight for a second, making him shiver. The pressure went away as quick as it had appeared but the hand didn't release him.

"After all, we have a rather justified renown of being the jealous kind. And what could be closer to one's heart than a lover? Jealousy can, after all, turn even the best of us insane, man, elf or dwarf. And rather than being reasonable about it, we turn proud and harsh like the rock we were carved in. So we hoard and hide and bind, hobbits give flowers, elves sing, we chain.

Legolas fought the urge to hide his face and the flush on it, irrational since Gimli couldn't see a thing and his gaze was lost, faraway. It made sense, somehow, especially from the people who found such pleasure at having mountains of gold just laying around.

"But alas, times change and we grew fewer and wiser, more conscious of our own mistakes and character flaws. Many of our customs disappeared with time, others turned ritualistic, evolved, and others languished, carried on only by families of royal blood where pride is harder to leave behind."

"Like yours."

"Yes..."

He hummed, laying his head against his chest. The other wrist had joined the first inside Gimli's larger hand, but he remained lax and unjudging.

"As I said, things aren't the same, they are not shackles, not really, more like, ah…cuffs, on wrists, ankle, waist and....neck. A dwarf groom is expected to forge and carve the ornamentation himself. It's common for the motifs of the engraving to hold meaning or be related to the couple's history. After the wedding he welds them in place."

That did sound rather drastic, and scarily permanent, but Legolas had very little room to complain about permanence, coming from a race so susceptible to dying of sorrow when losing their partners. He idly observed the smoke make shapes against the red beard and hair, Gimli's eyes darker than the night.

"Gimli, did you...did you make ones for us?"

"Aye, I did."

"When? When did you have the time for..."

"I picked the metal in Moria..."

Legolas was startled at that.

"Gimli, you didn't even like me in Moria."

The damn dwarf was laughing, so he had to do a quick check to see if they had awoken anybody, and redirected a certain king's ire toward them. Everything was quiet and unmoving, thankfully.

"Well, no, I didn't know back then, but I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass me. Mithril is the highest honor I could give my chosen one, and I remembered how my father would lament he could only give my mother gold. So when we rested one of the nights close to the forges, well…a couple of chunks could hardly slow me down."

"You carried with you chunks of metal for a wedding gift for someone you didn't even know would exist?"

".........Yes?"

"Who knew you were such a romantic?"

The dwarf's chest puffed in an annoyed snort.

"I'll have you know, it was a purely practical decision. Even if I never made that work the metal itself could be sold or forged into a mail."

"But you did."

"Aye....aye I did, I melted it and started working during our stay in Lorien, with no real plan in hand, more like a distraction from my sorrows."

Legolas rubbed soft circles with his fingers where he could reach on the hand holding his wrists, remembering how somber and withdraw the other had been in those days. But he'd had no claim to offer comfort then.

"It was not till Helms Deep that I was sure what the metal would be and for whom."

Those were way better memories for them.

"The glittering caves."

And even if he couldn't see him, Gimli returned his smile.

"Aye, the glittering caves, I'll have you know, it was not an easy revelation, I proceeded to be in denial for several days."

"I see, is this why you sequestered yourself in the men's forges? I knew you were sulking."

"We call it contemplating, ehem, anyway. The shape was finished then, for if my brain was in denial my heart and my hands knew they wanted. Doing the engraving had to wait till I had access to better tools after the coronation, but...aye, it's finished."

"Since when?"

"A couple of days ago."

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"I..."

"Gimli?"

"....I am afraid that my father knows more of me than I'm comfortable with."

"Which means you were scared I would run on you. After everything, you believe me so fickle, anoren?"

"No, no, never, I...sadly it's my own mind that I fear, that greed will win over me, that I will lock you away, in the darkness like another treasure, away from the light and the green. Where you will only waste away."

The image was a dire one indeed. Legolas can almost imagine it, the despair, the suffocating darkness encroaching around him. Just the thought was enough to make him want to gasp for air.

"You would not..."

"Ah, but wouldn't I? Sometimes you forget, and I try to forget it, that in the end I am a Durin too, madness has few qualms about things like which number you are removed from the throne line."

"And yet when confronted with the most beautiful woman on middle earth offering you your heart's desire, you walked away with only three hairs. Gimli, you are a good dwarf, an honorable one, and less obvious, you are a gentle one. Most importantly, you are yourself, you are not Thorin and most certainly you are not Thror. I do not fear you, and it pains me that you feel the need to fear yourself."

He let himself be dragged back into a laying position under their bundle of blankets, a warm cocoon in a world of their own.

"Your faith in me is humbling, Kibiluhîn, I pray it's also right."

"Of course it is. I am the brains, remember?"

"Aye, that you are."

\-----

I feel the need to explain Kibiluhîn since I pretty much made it up. Basically there are two kinds of Khuzdul, the few words Tolkien wrote on it and New Khuzdul that was made by a linguistic mostly for the movies.  
Kibil it’s a word in original Khuzdul that Tolkien meant to describe silver, as in the metal not the color. The suffix's -ân / -în / -ûn are personifying endings he used in harmony to the words attached for person, places or lands regardless and meant to be read in context. In New Khuzdul the one for person its only -ûn, but I decided -în sounded better with the word I was trying to make so I went with Tolkien rules. Finally Tolkien provides no personal forms but they were created for New Khuzdul, in this case a suffix -uh for mine.  
So we have: Kibil -uh –în  
Basically what Gimli its calling him its sort of: My silver one  
hu yeah....  
Ill shut up now

\-----

Next chapter will be either porn or plot advancement if I chicken out.


	8. Quite a charming forest.

"Beorn warned us to never stray from the path, to never drink or hunt here."

"I doubt the master of the wooden halls predicted you would have an actual elvish guide on your side."

"Regardless, we have no wish to enter this cursed place or risk being lost in it."

By the Valar, and he thought dealing with Gimli's stubbornness would somehow make him prepared for this. Gimli, who, by the way, was settled quite comfortably next to his father and not helping. Not mentioning they were still at an impasse on the matter of seeking further help, but that particular issue could rest till they reached the cursed waters of Gûlhir.

"Do tell me Thorin, son of Thrain, do you get lost regularly in the mines and dark tunnels of your home?"

"What? Do you attempt to insult me, elf? Of course I don't."

"I see, and would a stranger, let's say, an elf, find their way out of them like you do, or would they wander in the darkness, lost?"

"Oh, oh, I know that answer, remember that human thief? We found him crying four days later, happiest guy I have ever seen go to jail, and then Dwalin..."

"Yes, thank you nephew, I think we all get it. I begin to see your point, princeling."

"Indeed, I am as likely to get lost here as you are to get lost in the underground dwellings of your kin, so excuse me if I have no wishes to keep sleeping on the road when there is food, water and more comfortable accommodations close by."

"Accommodations?"

Could the dwarf be a little more suspicions? Just for variety, maybe it would render him unable to move in case his shadow wanted to stab him.

"No more than a shallow lake and moss-covered grotto. A place to rest, your highness."

The company shifted around and exchanged glances. A place to bathe, rest, sleep, that wasn't the hard earth of the road. It was not something to let pass easily, and their king knew it.

"Fine, lead the way, elf."

He could gloat; he really could, but better not tempt his standing with the king under the mountain. He merely nodded and took the head through the hidden path. Gimli remained away with his father, but he couldn't really resent him his wish to know this younger version of him, to be on equal ground for the first time.

"I hope you don't mind my company, master elf."

"Legolas, please, unless you would rather prefer to be 'master hobbit' yourself."

"Oh goodness, no, please. Bilbo if you would, please."

"So be it, Bilbo."

"Yes, thank you ma…Legolas. I must commend you, you seem incredibly comfortable here."

Well that was rather an understatement. The rest of the company seemed interested in participating too.

"Yeah lad, I mean no offense but, very creepy place you have here, these trees? Real charmers."

"Bofur, you can't just tell him that..."

"I'll have you know, fellas, you should be glad they don't speak......or move for that matter."

Gimli apparently was still getting over Fangorn.

"But you got along with them so well, anoren, I could see the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Ha, ha, ha, I'll let you know, if I get murdered in my sleep by a dandelion when we do your little road trip, I expect you to accept full responsibility."

"I'll make sure to avenge my beloved's death by weed."

"Wait, what? Mr Gimli, trees don't speak, or move."

"Hold to that belief boy, for your mind's sake, hold to it."

He could laugh, but really, the suspicious looks they were giving the trees, axes in hand? They were too good to spoil for momentary relief or amusement. Better to leave them with the doubt and focus back on his little travel companion.

"I have traveled these paths since I could barely walk. I don't think there is a place I know better, not even my father's halls."

"More familiar than your own home?"

"Home is a relative term, Bilbo. Where others just see twisted old trees, I see familiarity, old friends I have known all my life. Even in the creeping darkness and the dangers that lurk everywhere much to my father's despair. But they say..."

"Yes?"

"...in the court I mean...they say, those who can remember the old days, speak of a time when my mother would cruise the high branches of the forest, that she would cover it from edge to edge, not once touching the floor. Maybe I just carry it in my blood."

"She sounds admirable. Did you ever see it?"

"She was, and no I am afraid that by the moment I was born neither her nor the forest were in conditions for it, and eventually she left so I could never ask."

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have made assumptions, it was very rude of me to inquire."

"Please do not fret my friend, if it pained me, I would have never brought it up. Ah, here we are."

The familiarity of the small lake glade with its rock walls and shining wisterias, exactly as he remembered it, was enough to calm any leftover distress he had at the whole situation.

"It's beautiful."

"Please don't sound so surprised. There is beauty here; it's just a matter of finding it."

Around them the company was dropping their backpacks in relief. The younger of the princes, though, was already halfway to the water, hopping on the one leg that was still stubbornly stuck in his trousers.

"Last dwarf in the water is an elfffff!"

"Oh dear, please forgive him. He _is_ very young."

"No offense taken. Now you better hurry or you'll end up being the elf."

"Don't tell Thorin, but I don't find that a great doom."

Legolas observed the hobbit run back to the watchful frown of the king under the mountain, all the while feeling the same weight of curious eyes that had been on him since the start of the day. A quick look around confirmed that yes, it was the little scribe obviously trying to summon courage to approach now that he was alone. He remembers the little scribe, Ori – _"We cannot get out... they are coming – "_ and he sighs, so strange, this moment of how's and when's and what if's.

\-----

Still no smut, I realized I couldn't just throw it in here just because, so first they need to get to a moment were it can happen without the whole "your father is sleeping two feet away, Gimli."


	9. The scribe and the counsellor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the fic has a beta: midge_x  
> Aren't you all happy to be spared my awful English?  
> Update: Now all the chapters have been fixed

If he didn't take this chance, Mahal knew when he would have another. The elf was finally alone, taking in the last of the fading sunlight on rock by the lake. He was glowing, if one would believe that, and not for the first time Ori wondered if elves were in fact related somehow to the vegetable kingdom, maybe a subspecies. It had been quite disconcerting seeing him parade around nude, even if they were all nude. The fact that he lacked any hair made him seem more so, even the hobbit was covered in a soft golden down very different from the coarse body hair dwarves had. But the elf, nothing, nothing at all, it was quite disconcerting, though he did have a small curly puff...there...Great, he couldn't even say it in his head, sidetracked again. _Ori, if you keep procrastinating you will never speak with him_. He gave one small glance around. Dori was quite asleep by his side, beauty mask included; Fili and Kili were still dunking each other in the water, why were those two considered adults over him again? Nori was lost, "training" with Dwalin; the hobbit was helping their king tame his unruly mane, something everybody was deliberately not looking at; and Gimli was smoking with the rest after spending the last hour preening and being groomed by his golden lover. Taking a deep breath he gathered his bearings and made a quick dash to the elf's side. He could feel the red-haired dwarf's eyes on him, not yet moving but ready to do so if the need arose.

"So, you've finally decided to approach me with whatever it is that is eating your mind, little scribe? I was wondering if you ever would."

"Uh, mmm, ermm… How…?"... _Ori, please_.

He got a soft laugh in answer while the other stretched and rose to a sitting position. It was a wonder how comfortable he was naked like that. The elves had always come across as prudish to Ori, not that he knew many...but he knew one well...better not dwell on that.

"Nothing too mysterious I'm afraid, for I am no Gandalf after all. It's just that your eyes have followed me since we started our travel. But there is no distrust or curiosity in them like in the other's, but questions, and if questions are what you have, I'll do my utmost to answer them."

"I thank you then for your kindness, your highness. Well, you see, it would be better if I gave context to my inquiry, I find it...easier....that way."

A slight nod of the golden mane gave him courage, especially after the reassuring look the elf gave Gimli, feeling without seeing his worry.

"Unlike my brothers and most of the ones present here, I was not born in Erebor. My gaze never fell on it till a week ago even. Like Fili and Kili, I am a child of exile, born and raised in Ered Luin."

"I am sorry."

"Not fishing for pity here your highness, rather trying to get something across. Unlike they who, even living in front of a bustling trade city, had close to no contact with other races by choice, we grew up surrounded by humans from the villages. Humans - adults and children. And let me tell you something, if there is anything that every single human child is bound to want at some point or another, it's an elf."

Now the elf outright cackled with laughter, while everybody else just gaped at them. Ori was feeling quite accomplished, if he were to be honest. He waited till the peals of laughter ended and he had the renewed attention of his interlocutor.

"Now you understand? We were raised in contradictory cultural views of your kind, most of the time without even laying our eyes on you. Our fathers cursed you while our friends coveted you. With that kind of influence it was no surprise when dwarf children began to aspire to the same, owning something we didn't even know, not that the humans had seen an elf themselves. This caused quite the uproar and we were spoken to quite clearly about the issue, and we were told..."

"While I rather feel like I would be better not knowing, please go on. Do not fear insulting me."

"Yes…yes…sorry. They told us that a dwarf with romantic inclinations toward one of you would be scorned, taken less seriously than a servant child in love with the king's daughters, that your people's pride would never accept such a thing. That if not, why would you hide away in your castles deep in the forests? Like bright ghosts between the trees, too good to allow the sight of mortals to fall on you. I have to confess it's easy to believe it after all, you do those things; but..."

The other didn't seem about to interrupt to defend his people, something any dwarf would have done, most likely in roars and threats of permanent damage. Yet more proof of how different they truly were.

"...but...you love him, we can all see it in your eyes and your actions, even if some are still in denial. You don't feel scorn toward him at all. You have enough history together for him to lift his axe on his king, his family, while you're standing up to a band of bad-mannered guys to help them survive through your father's own lands, for him. I...I don't understand."

The elf hummed and gave Gimli a sad and thoughtful look before returning his attention to Ori.

"Tell me Ori, have you ever heard of Lúthien and Beren?"

"Uh, yes? Everybody has, I think, even we have those books and the human minstrels love to sing it, 'greatest love story ever' and all that."

"Ha, but you see there is the issue, we sing it too but as a cautionary tale of our own weakness. You see it's not because we are proud or feel superior, but because you hurt us so much…No, wipe that look off your face; it's not any of the things you have in your head right now. Falling in love with a mortal, even you, Aulë's children, who live so much longer than men do - it's like falling in love with a shooting star, a blazing fire of light in the eternity of our night, gone so quickly, leaving us behind, and so cold. More often than not it ends in our own death, for we cannot deal with such sorrow. So it shouldn't be so strange that we hide from you. After all, what father would wish such fate on their children?"

"Does that mean that you..."

"Yes, yes it's very likely that I will. I think he knows, but holds to the belief that I will somehow keep going on. I would ask you not to burden him with that knowledge, for my death, like with any of my kind, is my choice. Like it was Lúthien's choice, because you see there is no rule, no prohibition. Our hearts and our deaths are ours to give away, and once we are bound to that destiny we cannot be stopped. Like _she_ couldn't be stopped, not by her father's love, nor her king's will, not even by the Valar's creed. And I think you should have more faith that _he_ wouldn't be either."

"Uh, um, 'he'? Uh, how could you know it was a he? I-I could have been only curious, right?"

"Not this much, and well, you were very interested in my looks."

_Bravo Ori, excellent subtlety, if Gimli decides to split your head like a melon while you sleep you'll have earned it._

"Uh, I...I met him in Riven.... Imladris, in, in the library, he works...there…"

"A scribe?"

"Mmm....no…"

"Then who...? Oh. Ohhhh…"

There was an uncomfortable pause between them.

"I apologize, my intentions were not to offend you with my gaze, your highness.  I was only looking because of the differences. I wonder how alike would he be, he...he is taller and darker."

"Yes, Erestor is a Noldor, we are different, they are also more...complicated. He is, especially."

"I....gathered that."

"Regardless, if that's your choice you should pursue it."

"I…should?"

"Yes, Erestor is a complicated elf, but if he has shown even the slightest amount of preference and attention to you, that actually puts you above pretty much all of Middle Earth, up to and including my own father."

"You truly think so? I…I started knitting a scarf you know, but then I thought it would be so blasé, he's not the kind to wear one. Then I thought a shawl? For the nights he spends writing - would that be an acceptable courting gift in your kind's eyes?"

He was probably being too chummy and straightforward. At the same time, how could he miss the novelty of having someone support his choices, controversial as they were? And the prince was smiling so encouragingly.

"Yes, I think that's a lovely choice, Ori."

Gimli was currently moving in their direction, most likely feeling their chat to be over. Better to scamper then, just in case.

"Thank you very much for your help, your highness. I'll go start it right now. Uh, um… goodbye."

He had no shame at all for running back to his still-snoring brother, even if he could hear the elf's tinkling laughter at his back. 

\--------  
Its just me or they keep getting longer?  
Anyway next one its smut for sure, its even cataloged like that in the plot line "smut time"  
Also I am sure I have seen this in at least another fanfic so I am not the only crazy thinking Erestor and Ori should totally be a ship, maybe just a tiny bit crazy....they did spend a considerable amount of time in Rivendel on the book you know, and I also read a very good fanfic about Erestor dealling with Ori's death around here somewhere.... don't judge me D'X


	10. Firefly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe I wrote this, my ancestors must be doing a emergency meeting to disown me.  
> This took so much time, never say porn is easy to do, not even bad one, you asked for it people.  
> Warning this part contains very sup par porno, including gay sex, piercings, rimming, mentions of chastity devices and many other things the author really shouldn't be talking about.  
> I have yet to read and answer the past comments since I last answered but I will when I come back, including the ones about *gulp* this chapter. If I never come back is because I was either murdered by said shamed ancestors or ran into the woods to never be seen again by any kind of polite society.  
> 

"If I you were going to get like this why did you insist on us getting dressed before? "

Their improvised moss bed was comfortable and private enough that he provided no token resistance at Gimli's manhandling his clothes off while somehow managing to remove its own at the same time. Specially since he had the distinct impression that his dear father in law had gone into the farthest possible resting point from them.

"Because my temper has a limit laddie, and I would rather avoid explaining to the king under the mountain exactly why I had to split his nephews heads open, nor would I want a knife on my back after doing the same to your little buddy mice".

"I was working forward to our goal to fix, ha, certain unfortunate happenings, while you, my dear, were too busy being you lazy dwarf self by the shoreline. But oh my, oh my, could it be? Anoren, you are jealous"

This provoked some grumbling muted by the fact he was currently hiding his face in the dip of Legola's hip, then suddenly a sharp pinch on the inside of his thigh that left him gasping and taunt like a bow.

"I do not suffer fools that covet what is mine gladly.”

Legolas curled a long leg around the dwarf side to tease with nibble toes the hair on his back.

"I do not remember this being a issue before, and we were between people more....interested? "

It was getting hard to think when the other seemed more focused in lapping in broad strokes around his bellybutton, as it were it was hard to understand further mumbling but what he got was enough.

"They were not dwarves? What does that even mean? and I swear to the Valar that if the next words that come out of your mouth involve saying "fetish" I will kick you Gimli, son of Gloin, and I do are in a excellent position to do it. "

There were some soft shushing sounds and the hands holding him down on his hips tightened, most likely already leaving deep bruises.

"Do not fret my temperamental beauty, is only our nature what drives us to be more jealous of other dwarves. "

There were more gentle caresses around his hips and chest, the tongue broad strokes teasingly avoiding his nipples to draw a road toward the hollow of his neck.

"Though you certainly have a type. "

Legolas squeal of indignation turned into a keening moan when broad fingers twisted his nipples unmercifully

"You were doing your own fair amount of ogling Kibiluhîn, I feel like you should be punished. "

"I ...was... just...oh please...curious. "

He trashed on the ground but made no attempt to dislodge the other from him, or his hands that had, finally, stopped twisting but were still kneading roughly the pink nubs on his chest.

"Indeed? Enlighten me then my own. "

"It's, I mean, it's hard to.....is puzzling, that with all what's going on in your body's you are all so keen on...ha...decorating them. I was only surprised that it seemed to be a cultural thing and not only your.....personal choice. "

The dwarf gave a deep chuckle before abandoning his nipples and forcing one of Legolas hands toward his dick.

"I see, you have yet to overcome your fascination with this have you? Take your due then "

Not that he needed much encouragement to do that, he loved to wrap his fingers around it, being it so much like Gimli, shorter than most and so impossibly wider than just the thought of it was enough to send shiver up his spine. The added pleasure of feeling the barbell ladder under his fingertips, and inside him, was just a bonus, if a fairly pleasant one, especially after teasingly "climbing" it to fool around with the curved one right at the top.

"Were you overwhelmed by the sight of so much ink and metal princeling? By the warrior's honors, did you want them or maybe......? "

Gimli hands returned to his nipples, satisfied in the knowledge that Legolas would keep his ministrations, and after twisting them again, regaining the plum red color, he dug a broad blunt nail right in the middle, making him moan loudly and his fingers spasm around the, now rock hard, erection in them.

"...maybe you were just envious? Do not stop my own. But what delightful idea that is, maybe after I chain you we could add some adornments, mmm? Nothing to drastic of course, mithril and diamonds to match your bindings, refulgent, just like my Kibiluhîn. Two small hoops just here, pretty pink nips pierced, just right to tug, or weight, maybe I could just join them together with a silver thread and pull. "

There was another twist and pinch on his chest, and he could no longer keep caressing the other's member, fingers lax and curled around it while he shivered and observed how the abused tips turned redder and puffier by the second, practically doubling his size under the rough calloused fingers of his lover. Even when they were abandoned a moment latter just the contrast with the cold night air was enough to make him shiver and moan under the dark watchful gaze of his lover. Hands slid around his chest, cradling his rib cage on them before dipping into his navel.

"Then one just here, a pretty jewel to shine every time you move. "

His fingers finally let go of Gimli when the dwarf dipped to lick around and into his bellybutton, now he was instead clinging to the other's hair and spouting nonsense in elvish while the hot wetness of it lavishes his own flesh, joined by two big hands cradling and stroking over it.

"Maybe another one here, on the tip? "

There is a finger poking and sliding over the bulbous head and the slit there, another one moves behind his balls to caress on the space there, they tease and push at the same time.

"Yes another ring, a small one no sense in ruining the line of such a pretty shape, just here on the tip, and another right here..... "

There is again a delightful pressure on his perineum and he shamelessly moves trying to get said hand to go further down, is useless but it earns him a softly mocking chuckle that does little to alleviate his shivering body needs.

".....yes, another hoop, just there, were I could link them with another metal thread, just a little incentive to control your.... ha.... curiosity. "

Forced, and potentially painful, chastity measures shouldn't sound or feel as hot as he is right now, yet he mewls and rubs his legs on the dwarf furry sides while he envisions himself covered in gems and metal for his lover's pleasure.

"No ink though, it would be such a pity, to mar this spotless, shinning, surface, though maybe.... "

The hand on his perineum slides further down, finally oh finally, but it ends in disappointment when it just trails above the soft curve of a cheek before settling on his tailbone.

"...maybe we could make a exception here, just above were your belt will fall, a very nice lettering in runes, my name of course. "

"Gimli..... please......please. "

"You seem very keen on this, such a pity then that we have nothing to...ease the way. It would be better to, ha, stop now, don't you think? "

Both hands on him left quite suddenly, leaving him cold and frustrated but he kept the dwarf close by his hold on the red mane.

"Gimli, no, you can’t just....after all you did.... don't be cruel, please. "

"And how do you propose we fix our lack? "

"You could.....use your fingers. "

"Tsk not nearly enough. "

"And....and...it hasn't been that long and I could use my mouth. "

Gimli's eyes dilated so much upon those words he wouldn't even need elvish eyes to see it in the dark, yes his approach would be the correct one. Letting go of the other's hair he incorporated to straddle the other on his knees, making sure to give him a half lidded gaze before descending, hands cleverly caressing the other furred body, skipping shyly over the heavy pieces of metalwork on the dark nipples and then descending trough the road of red coarse fur toward his prize. Curling his hands on the base he kneaded around the barbells while his mouth and tongue lavished the dark purple mushroom head, teeth pulling softly from time to time on the dark loop going through it. Above him Gimli's breath turns thicker and he grabs to strands of long golden hair pulling him closer as if of bridles it were. Tacking the hint to stop teasing he swallows as much as he can letting his spit drop into and around it, the movement, imposed by the hands on his head, making a wet obscene noise when the cock left his mouth and after going back in. The smell of it as the hair on the base tickled his face was familiar, if cleaner, of all those desperate times were he would curl with it on his mouth just waiting for the next day and the next battle to start. Just when his jaw began to hurt from the pumping movement over the, by now, drenched member, his lover made a strangled sound and forced him out of it.

"As fun as this is, when I finish it will be inside you, now, on your knees my own, head on the floor."

With what he wanted, finally, on sight he made a quick scramble to get into position, arching his back into the most pleasant view possible.

"Nice, very nice, now arms between your thighs, grab into your ankles, yes, just like that, keep them there, now let’s see what we have here. "

There were hands on his thighs, pinching a trail upward, then a ghost touch over his balls and finally they were groping on his checks, pulling them apart, pinching, squeezing or kneading them.

"Such a pretty thing, soft and pert like one of those peach's you like so much, I wonder..... "

Gimlis mouth was on him after that, biting all over the flesh of his arse, leaving behind pink bruises before licking over them, Legolas quickly found himself unable to speak or make sense anymore.

"...I wonder if it tastes as well as it look. "

Then he was parting his cheeks, fingers barely touching the pink entry hidden between them, before darting a quick lick of it that made the elf scream. There was a pause and a slurping sound before the tongue returned this time accompanied by wet fingers, poking and probing, holding him wide open while he submitted to being stretched, his unattended dick leaking all over the moss covering. The wet muscle pushed deeper, maddening on its insistence, leaving him wet and trembling, then there was one finger, then two, as impossibly tick as his cock was, and again that obscene wet sound, warm and dripping, sliding trough his open thighs, he could feel Gimli's beard and hair against every single point of contact.

"Such a nice position this is isn't it? Keeps you right on my level, were I can use and abuse, excellent for traction to. "

Small talk? Well not really, but still way too much to ask for his thought process at the moment, there were just fingers left inside now, but three of them, pumping and pushing, scissoring, keeping on the goal of stretching him to his limits.

"Now, since we are getting to the main event and you have been a bad boy, hush, yes you were. As I was saying, since you were a bad boy you are only allowed to come with me inside, no touching yourself either. "

Legolas moaned and gave a short nod, willing to accept everything by the point they were in.

"I am not joking my own, if you let go of those ankles I’ll stop, are we clear? "

The fingers go away right after his head moves again only to clench into his hips, holding and keeping control of the situation, and then there is that familiar pressure against his entry, all wet over but unaided by standard lubrication, feeling bigger, wider, than ever before. Gimli's moans are dark and hungry while he pushes, inside, inexorable trough the resisting ring of muscle till his thighs are cradling Legolas ones, and the hipbone fits so perfectly against his backside. Time itself seems to stop while they revel on the moment and on their, self imposed, parts of the play, owner and owned, it seems to crash back into reality when Gimli snarls at him, half draping over his back.

"Ask me Kibiluhîn, now. "

The harsh words make his toes curls and he toys with the idea of making him wait, but he is so full, stretched and taunt that he is sure he will go insane, and he needs, oh Valar, he Needs.

"FuckmepleasefuckmeGimliyes? "

It just takes that and he is being fucked, cock pounding inside him like a hot iron straight from the forge, the hold on his hips preventing him from taking any control at all of the pace, or the angle of it, the pleasure maddening but not nearly enough to let him come. It goes on for like it feels like forever with his lover grunting and biting at any point he can reach of his back while Legolas can only think enough to hold with spasming fingers to his ankles and wondering why he isn't coming, it's nowhere near enough to keep him from drooling all over the place, spit all over his chin while he makes gurgling sounds that pretend to be pleas for mercy. Something changes because the grunts at his back turn desperate and the cock on his hole changes angle after a roll of hips, then it begins hammering down on just the right spot to make him moan and trash like a whore.

"OhvalarGimliIam Ineedto"

"Yes, my own, my treasure, do it, come now, feel me inside you, just let go. "

And he does, body rippling like waves in a pond, clenching hard on the member still inside him but not moving anymore under the almost painful pressure of the milking it's going trough.

"Oh Mahal, you are so, so tight. "

There are two or maybe three powerful pushes against his now lax body and he is being filled, the sensation attempting to drag a reaction from his equally exhausted member but is too much too soon, luckily it reaches nowhere. But he does moans and then sobs when the other pulls free and there is hot warm cum escaping from inside his body especially after the fingers return with mumbled apology's about checking for any possible damage. A piece of cloth is sacrificed to clean them before being discarded and he is dazedly pulled away from the wet spot and into strong arms. 


	11. Dreams and Lace

"That was.... "

"Yeah, I know... "

They cuddle together, just basking in the other's presence for a long time

After a while the energy is obviously still strung to high to let him sleep, so Legolas settles for examining their surroundings, the grotto, water sculpted walls and ceiling, there are tiny flowers blooming on the moss that gives them bedding; is also a firefly night, he can see them, floating and dancing on the lake surface even from where he is laying down, Gimli's arms still holding him tight. Now that they stopped doing noise the sounds of laugh, squeals and body's getting throw against each other reached him, the brothers were apparently still awake. One quick look to his quickly falling asleep lover confirms that even if he could hear them it was unlikely the reverse could happen, he relaxed; there would be no taunts about his sexual life tomorrow. Another squeal, the hobbit, and more impish laughter then a sudden roar, the brooding king demanding some illusion of order in his little family, this time the squeals were from the brothers, Legolas would make a sure bet on them being dragged to their bedding's as of right then. He fell's a dull ache in his chest while wondering, for nowhere the first time either, what would be like to have brothers to laugh and squeal and be dragged to bed, if he would had been the same brooding toddler of too sharp eyes and bizarre nightmares. The confession, as all of them, comes crashing out of his mouth, his mind and body exhausted and emotionally raw from the last few days, and the last few hours

"I had two brothers"

Gimli raises his head so quick that is a wonder it doesn't end with a strained neck.

"You what? "

"I said.... "

"No, no, I heard you the first time, sorry....... I didn't know that"

Legolas hums softly, eyes glued to the rocky ceiling above them, right now he has no strength to hold on his lover's ones.

"They were twins, like Elrond's children, born from a time when Thranduil was no more than a young prince chasing after my mother's shadow between the trees. "

"Do you know their names? "

"I don't, I never asked, more like, I never dared, nobody says their names here, as if pain could be washed away by silence. "

He is cold, so cold, much more than the nights here should be, the cooling sweat morphing fire to ice. Gimli feels something to because he reaches for their lost blankets and drapes them both on them. Finally he fells strong enough to turn around but he just hides on the other's neck, curling under their makeshift nest.

"They fell together, in Dagorlad, like Oropher did, two thirds of our people died that same day. On the same field, the king, the prince and his heirs, one walked away to be crowned but they said he died there to. "

The silence stretches and he wonders if, like him, Gimli remembered similar endings for his own people.

"Sometimes I dream of them. It is even possible, to dream of faces unknown? They are holding hands in the swamp, they hug me, more water, bubbles, I am drowning, then I wake up don't knowing them again. It’s the Dead Marshes, which it’s funny since I don't even know if they were buried there. "

Gimli grunts while patting his hair.

"Funny? Yeah a veritable joyride there laddie. "

"That's why they had me you know, I think, two strangers trying to find again the person they loved in the other. And even if they loved me, it didn't work and I hated them. "

"Whom? "

"My brothers. "

A pause, there was a firefly on the wall, he could see it over Gimli's shoulder, maybe it was lost to.

"Why? "

"For dying, for leaving, for father's eyes and for mother sailing away, for myself. Because they all left us, and father has tied his desperation to me, to this land, and I worry that he'll fade away with it, or worse, that it will be my doing what precipitates his end. "

Gimli hold's him tight, not knowing what to say, even if Legolas knows there is nothing to say.

"Go to sleep Kibiluhîn, everything will be alright, or we will make it alright. "

His mind tries to rebel against the obvious lie, he is not a kid to be coddled, it lasts just a second, he is to tired and his lover's words do bring him peace, lies as they may be. He wonders idly if he will dream of his brothers tonight, flesh and soul exposed and raw as it is now, on the wall the firefly exhausted lights dim and it falls to the floor.

Legolas dreams that night, but is not a dream of murky water or faceless twins, Legolas remembers. It was early morning, he knows because the light was entering into his father's halls trough the high windows and he would be following the pale sun rays play trough the white of the gaze curtains. Is the middle of autumn and there are more leafs entering than his mother's ladies can sweep away, they crunch under his, still too small, feet. Even her beloved roses are dry, not a single white bud in sight, but the clouds in the sparkling blue sky make up for it, they look like the fleece over the bed coverlet so he burrows trough it, it smells of the dried lavender left under the mattress after it was aired. He can hear her close by and even if he gets a soft scolding from one of the ladies he keeps under the sheets smelling and smelling till he is sure he can differentiate the myriad of scents hidden on the bed, when he finally has a grasp of his mother own unique smell under the lavender he clings to it like a thief refusing to let it go. When it becomes so much he fears suffocation, he slides out of it and burrows in the closet, his mother's clothes are there but he finds a dead end of resin, dust and that smell of newly washed clothes he can’t understand, there is a dead moth in the corner so he covers it with a ribbon lost from some dress or another. When she, finally, calls for him he is in the middle of a soul deep contemplation about if he should mourn the moth or if it is one of those things a prince shouldn't do according to his father. He finds her by the garden doors on the love seat with her morning tea and dress, the tea has little flowers dancing and unwrinkling in the hot water, there are flowers on the love seat to, tiny embroidered roses he traces with small fingers, they are golden like the sun rays. His fingers turn to her when she asks why he is running around still on his night clothes, he doesn't answer or even mention how much he prefers the white cotton gown over the stifling royal garb they expect him to wear. The gown is loose, like sheets over his body and it smells like his bed and lavender, lavender like her bed does, and he can almost pretend he has never left it when dressed like this. But it would be a affront to his honor, for he is no baby anymore, he can walk and he can speak, he can almost read even; there is also the fear that if they somehow know they will take it away, so he keeps silent and tugs on the lace of the dress to distract her and, even if the light it’s too much for him to see her face under the halo around it, he can see the smile when he asks for a song. He likes the lace, so he keeps fingering it even after his tugging has been stopped, there are shapes on it, and more flowers, tiny flowers made of white lines, carved in the clouds, he wonders if lace is made of clouds, that the clouds come down and dress her every morning. He likes the lace because she is light and happy and sings to him even if he tries to dip his fingers to catch a tea flower, he knows that later she will wear colored silk for the day or dark velvet for the court and she will be cold like marble, but is morning and there is tea and white lace and she sings, even if just for a moment she is his. Many years later on the middle of a forest, surrounded by sleeping dwarves, a elf prince dreams of a long forgotten song.


	12. The mightiest of dwarves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter, sorry it took so much time, my dad passed me the cold, seriously :( I am also writing a One-shot so that has taken some of my time to.  
> On another note I don't seem to have a beta anymore? I think I may have scared them with the porn? /fails  
> But I really don't want to just replace them because they may just be busy and that would be so rude, so I don't know what to do. In the meantime it will be unbeta, sorry.

Kili was not sulking, nope, not at all, not by any stretch of imagination, he was.....how did uncle Thorin call it? ah yes, he was contemplating. And most certainly he was not resentful that said uncle and brother had left him to be combed and braided by their burglar while they held a, Important, meeting with their current advisors, even if Gimli, who was still technically younger than he was thank you very much, could.

"Stop frowning so much. Do you want a permanent scowl like your uncle's? "

"Yes? "

Bilbo gave a deep sigh behind him and even if he couldn't see it, the scowl in his face as he groomed him with sharp tugs of the comb was practically audible. Thorin's comb, Kili had almost giggled in glee when the dwarf had handed it to Bilbo with orders to tend his nephew, but no he couldn't giggle, since he was sulk....contemplating. He settled for glaring daggers at his brother, the traitor, whom had promised to do his hair once Kili did his, only to pat him in the head and tell him to be good for Bilbo when uncle had stomped away shouting orders. Kili really should had gone after them, but that would mean more glares from uncle, and he had got more than enough of those last night when Fili stole his comb, that blonde traitor still had it to add insult to injure, he really should go and pull his....

"Stop sulking Kili, they are...they are just worried, and rightly so. "

"I am not worried, they are obviously mistaken, you know Thorin and Fili uncle Bilbo, can I call you uncle Bilbo now? Since uncle Thorin told you to braid my hair, would that make you auntie Bilbo? There is no way they would fail, well have our home back. Are you going to stay in Erebor with us afterward? "

Maybe they were from another universe were uncle Thorin and Fili were not.....uncle Thorin and Fili, or maybe they were but not like he knew them. Were there even other universes? He should ask Gandalf when the wizard came back, Kili was sure he only went away to restock when his pipeweed ran out. Or maybe he could ask Bifur, Bifur sometimes had a funny look in his eyes, as if he were seeing things beyond compression, yeah Bifur surely knew a lot about other universes. But that would have to wait because a certain auntie hobbit was giving him some very sharp tugs from the comb.

"Ill have you know, you insolent brat, that nothing, and I mean, Nothing, improper has happened. "

"Ewww grosss, auntie, we sleep side by side, I don't want to picture uncle Thorin one feet away doing old man s......oh, oh,oh, not the beard auntie. "

"For pity's sake, don't let your uncle hear about that auntie nonsense, no wonder he spends so much time worrying over you if you keep behaving like a toddler. "

A toddler...right

"I am sorry mister Boggins"

"Now, don't make that face, I didn't mean it like that. Here, eat this. "

"Is this, dried meat? I thought we had run out days ago. "

"Mhhh, that's the last piece, I had it stored away, after that is lembas for everybody. "

"Can I really have this mister Boggins, truly? "

"Yes, yes you can, you silly brat, but do it before the others see or you won’t be able to get one bite, Dwalin has been growling like a bear over the lack of it. "

That was very true; all this rabbit food had everybody complaining, especially since the elf refused to go hunting. Kili didn't question his luck and dug in on the savory pieces with just a pang of remorse over not sharing it with his brother, not that the traitor deserved it after the scolding he had earned them last night, even if he had got wet nosy kisses and cuddles as apology later. Not that Kili needed those; he was a mighty adult dwarf now, even if they feel nice........ Anyway Fili had yet to give his comb back, keeping it for leverage latter most likely, yes Fili didn't deserve any meat.....well maybe he could show his moral superiority and be man....magnanu.....nice, he would save a  bite or two, or half of it.

"Speaking of Dwalin, he is not around or in the meeting, which is very unusual, Kili. Do you know something? "

"What? Oh, mister Dwalin? He likely didn't know about the meeting and went "training" with Nori. "

".......I see, no that is in my place to ask but....is there a reason for those quotation gestures Kili? "

"Hu, I am not sure? Ori always make them, it must be one of those weird things of him, Fili always laughs when I ask. "

And the little mouse would roll his eyes at him, as if he were dealing with a kid, excuse me? Kili was older and way more experienced on the ways of the world, no respect at all. Anyway, why would he be jealous of Ori knowing something he didn't, he never did anything fun, and mostly everything he knew was boring and useless for a mighty warrior. Like now, sitting by the elf with a confused face while the blonde made some kind of...flowery thingies...with Bifur. Well maybe Ori was weird, but not as much as the elf, that had a thoughtful face and was nodding at whatever crazy signs the old dwarf was doing, signs Kili knew were majorly invented. The elf understood them, really? No wonder they went and spoke with trees, crazy folks that they were. Why would be the elf be hanging out with Ori and Bifur any other way, any sane person would prefer to be with Fili and Kili, or at the very last with uncle Thorin, he was majestic. But uncle Thorin hated elf's, maybe he was just scared of uncle Thorin and decided to avoid them all, that made sense, Kili would be scared if he, Mahal forbid it, were a elf. Yes, that was it, very well then, he would be mag..........nice and show the elf that uncle Thorin would not eat him, anytime soon at the least.

"Kili? "

"Hu, waa, I am sorry mister Boggins? "

"You seemed very deep in thought, anything I should know? You better not be plotting something to do Legolas, mister Gimli would have your head. "

Why everybody just assumed the worse, even when he was planning to be nice?

"No.o.o i'll be good I promise. "

"Hmph, you better young man. "

Deflect, deflect

"What were you asking me before mister Boggins? "

"Ha, yes, I asked if Dwalin and Nori were in the habit of errr......training? Before the quest."

"Ho, no, not at all, they were always at each other necks, much to Dori's anguish. You know, captain of the guard and renowned criminal, not a good combination, and Nori kept running away or escaping from the cells, Dwalin would fume for DAYS. I have no idea why they keep slipping away, maybe they miss their fights? "

"Ye...yes...it must be that, thank you Kili, is this kind of information that helps me know everybody a bit more. "

"Oh really, I could tell you more, I know tons of gossip, I would even say I know them all better than anybody, like that time with uncle Thorin and the troll lady, I didn't even know troll lady's existed, anyway.... "

"I..I don't think he would.... "

"Oh don't worry mister Boggins, is a very funny story, I bet uncle Thorin would tell it by himself if he had time...... "

As always that Kili had something interesting to say, he couldn't, his uncle and brother came back shouting to pack the camp, it was time to be on their way. Oh well, he would remember uncle Thorin about it on dinnertime, he was sure it would be way more funny if he told it. Yep he would do just that, now to give Fili the meat he saved and get some kisses, not that he wanted them but the big dufus would insist so Kili would indulge him, that was what brothers were for anyway.

\----  
I estimate one or two chapters of fluff before things go south. I don't intend to rewrite the hobbit so I will most likely skip things or just mention them, I'll assume everybody reading knows at broad strokes the general events of the book(barrels, lake town, Smaug, etc)

Also the Dwalin/Nori tag has some of the best fics out there you should give it a look. It has me fully converted to the pairing, by which I mean: it makes a lot of sense


	13. The river

Mirkwood was oddly cheery for his name, yes the trees were gnarled and odd, the sunlight was barely there and there was no sound or animal anywhere in sight yet the overall feeling was of welcome and peace. Gimli held no illusions about it behaving the same without Legolas presence, it was that or creepy old forests were growing on him, he rather liked the option that didn't involve the loss of his sanity. What he holds no doubts about is how much harder the road would be without the elf, the company does not seem to realize it because most of them still grumble as they walk and eye the back of the leading blonde head with distrust, he should grab certain royal ass and throw him out of the road alone, see how he fares. At least he was slowly gathering friendship here and there, all of them irrelevant on the power order but he refused to nitpick his blessings, because of course Legolas would rub on with the innocent and the crazy.  
Anyway the other dwarves were at least letting him lead without much conflict but just to be sure he kept a watchful eye on him while the other focused on his father and the ongoing match about if mother had grown more or less terrifying with age. Or at least that was what they were doing before a more somber mood reached his father face.

"Are we going to speak about this, or we'll keep pretending there is nothing wrong?"

Well that was a rather drastic.

"I was not aware there was a problem. "

"I see, and what would you call this whole situation, dear son."

His father being cryptic was something Gimli was not accustomed to.

"Nothing. I...I do not understand, is this about Legolas?"

"No Gimli, this is not about Legolas. Do not take this as permission to go around... frolicking...with the dam thing but there are more important things now, matters of family and honor. "

"I ...do..not ... frolic."

"Thank Mahal for small mercies. "

"I will not be riled by you old man, speak clearly or do not."

"The other's grow restless; here we are closer and closer to the elvenking lands, led by his son and well it....."

His father was doing waving movements with his hands obviously not knowing how to approach his son with their worries, Dwalin made things easier for him from were he walked behind them.

"It reeks of elvish treachery that's what it does. "

Well that was rather unsurprising, Dwalin didn't fully trust anybody not named Thorin or Balin after all, he should go with that angle.

"Thorin believed it. "

"Thorin believed shit. "

Gloin made a frustrated noise while gesticulating at the bald dwarf subtlety; this was, apparently, not going as he expected it to go.

"Yes thank you Dwalin, could you please let me do this? Gimli, there is no reason for Thorin, or anybody here, to believe you, and you know it. We are here, following your elf, for the same reason than half this company has blood ties, for the same reason YOU tried to come with that dammed toy axe of yours. "

Yes of course he knew, it had been drilled into him since he had memory, it had not faded away, not even after all the years without hearing it.

"Because we may have no mountain or gold, but if we don't have each other what is there for us to have? "

Balin let a low approving hum by his side, the same one he used to make when teaching him those same words on his mother kitchen table, Fili and Kili by his sides pretending to listen while swamping notes behind their backs, it was funny how in this world such a moment was barely a few years behind while in his memory's was no more than a whisper.

"Then why is that, that you refuse to trust your own family and insist on keeping secrets from it? "

Ha so finally they were getting to the root of the problem, again.

"I have already explained.... "

"You have explained naught boy, only vague and obscure ramblings. Is this some kind of magic related mumbo jumbo that one gets? Why, by my beard lad, you act more slippery than the dam wizard? "

"Boy, I am no boy, I’ll have you know dear uncle Dwalin that right now we are quite evenly matched in both age and experience. "

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.....boy. "

"Mahal confound you, stubborn old goat. "

"Goat? GOAT. Come here little pipsqueak. "

Right, that was probably not the smartest thing to do, well at the least it distracted everybody from his reticence to speak, now step one: grab axe, step two: block to the right, step three: hide behind Balin. Pity Balin was already being dragged away by the brothers eager to get into the excitement.

"Fightttttt"

Step four, afterward remember to clip Fili's ear. One quick look towards Legolas to make sure he knew Dwalin was not going to do anything more drastic than wipe the floor with him by the scruff and he planted ground in front of the man that taught him to fight, well time to show him how much he had outgrow his "toy" axe. Sadly they just manage a couple of feint's and well placed kicks and punches before Thorin is on them, elbowing the mob around to pass.

"Mahal have mercy on me, what is on you heads, air? Do this looks like the place for your moronic antics? "

Dwalin blinks dazedly around with a purple eye but Gimli is too busy pretending his shin's aren't on fire to bother.

"This is the kind of behavior I would expect from my nephews not from both of you.... "

"Oi...we"

"Silence Kili.....I expect you two to contain your bloated heads till we are in a safe place, and no I don't want to know who started it or why. Elf, get moving we don't have time to lose. "

Legolas is laughing while the company yet again forms line to follow him, not that the other's can tell, but that's most certainly his "I am laughing at you" face, overly mysterious thing that he is. Dwalin of course holds no rancor and actually seems more comfortable while they resume their position along the others, even going all the way and draping a arm around his shoulders.

"He, I taught you that punch didn't I laddie. "

"First time brought down by your own technique are we? "

"He, you wish, if our dearly beloved king hadn't intervened your pretty twig would be weeping over the loss of your beautiful mug. "

"Ha, in your dreams old man. "

They walked side by side for a while under the chuckles of both his father and Balin, his uncle was just looking around confused, that horn didn't work very well after the whole goblin ordeal apparently. It took a long time after everything had gone back to being silent before he dared to speak.

"I fear.....I fear that if I were to speak too much or change too many things would go so different that I would not know were or what to fix. Right now just the certainty of knowing what will happen gives me hope, but if things were to change so much that I couldn't recognize them anymore..... "

"You will have to speak at some point if you want to fix anything at all lad. "

"Yes, I just don't know when. Though, there is something I can tell you right now uncle Balin. "

"Yes lad? "

"Never go to Moria. "

"What does that even means, Balin? Were you planning going to Moria? After all we lost at its gates, when we lost Fenrir? "

"It was only half thoughts for the future brother, I.... "

"No, don't brother me Balin, Moria is death, is cursed, after all we suffered, not even all the mithril in Moria should be enough for... "

"If what the lad says is true Dwalin, you should know why I would leave, mithril be dammed brother, a Erebor without Thorin would send me searching for the silmarils"

"Balin..... "

Anything that Dwalin could say was interrupted the next moment when everybody stopped in front of them; the hobbit was the only one with the peace of mind to mention the obvious.

"Oh my, that doesn't look nice. "

Which also was a understatement, the dark river was in front of them, even with Legolas presence the forest around it laid down twisted and broken, branches breaking down toward the cursed waters as if they were drinking it's evil trough them, the remains of the wood bridge were decrepit and looked as if the water itself had taken it down bite by bite.

"There is a ferry some miles downstream we.... "

"And be captured by your people elf? No I would rather cross it swimming. "

"You would be dead upon entering king under the mountain. "

"Better than dead by the gentle ministrations of that traitor of your father"

Legolas was growing tense by the moment under the snarls of the dwarf, it would be a good idea to mention the boat he knew was on the other bank before things got worse, he was spared the job, again by the hobbit.

"There is a boat on the other side, you can see it through the fog. "

Legolas eyes quickly confirmed that there was indeed a boat on the other side, it was tied though, but the rope looked halfway there rotten to the elf. While they worked on getting a hooked rope to pull at the dam thing Gimli made inventory of what should and shouldn't happen. A deer would appear? Maybe, the time must be different, either quicker or slower, their presence would surely affect the timing of events, if the deer didn't appear would Bombur fall into the water? He had to be sure to be close to him when they reached the other shore. A cheer uproar brought him back from his contemplation, they had a boat and Thorin was splitting the trips.

"Fili, Kili and Bilbo will come with me, then Balin, Dori, Bifur and Bofur. The boat is in a very bad shape; to avoid straining it Gloin, Gimli and Oin will be one trip, then since Dwalin weights to much he will go with Ori and Nori"

"Is all muscle. "

"Yes Dwalin we know, Bombur will be last with the elf, that way the boat will only have Bombur's weight to contend with. "

The fat dwarf looked at his belly sadly, then at the elf who gave him a merry laugh, before patting his hand.

"Do not worry master Bombur, I am sure you will be ok, but just to be sure.... "

With a mischievous wink toward Gimli he retreated somewhat on the road, and oh, covered the 12 yards of the stream in a somersault, then from the other shore.

"The ferry is mostly for goods. "

Thorin looked about to fume, most likely over the work of getting the boat, no matter that he complained about the elf help all the time, but Fili quick thinking stopped any issue by sending another hook and rope toward the elf side.

"Could you help pulling? There are no paddles on here. "

With Legolas pulling from one side and the other rope, they had everybody crossing over in no time, including Bombur as the last one, as the boat came closer to the shore Gimli got closer to its landing point, keeping watch on the dark forest for any movement. No deer appeared to jump over the stream, but just as the fat dwarf first feet touched the ground a glimmering white elk appeared from the shrubbery, unearthly eyes fixated on Legolas who seemed to recognize the animal, making a movement toward him. Thorin obviously did to because he readied his bow with a growl, much to the elf distress, who moved between them.

"No! "

"Move elf. "

Gimli got Bombur out of the boat and away from the shore quick, all the time worried about the problem at his back.

"I got him uncle"

Foolish boy that he was Kili made a dash to the side and took a shot, that of course never landed for the elf moved as quick as his master's and dashed trough them before reaching the other side, pushing the younger prince in the process, leaving him short of equilibrium and waving his arms, seconds from toppling into the river.

"Kili! "

Kili never reached the river surface, pulled toward the dirt by his brother in a hard thump.

"Ouch, was so much force needed Fili? I wasn't going to fall.....Fili? "

Fili was in the water. 

\---  
Since we are in movie context, I doubt there is someone that could discus Legolas not being capable of jumping 12 flat yards after the whole Oliphant thing.  
Previous chapters will go into revision in the near future since there are things I want to fix/change.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter have been ready for half a year but for some reason I just cant manage to write the next one, and not even the new movie has kickstarted it, so instead I have been writing two or 3 or to many chapters in the future, which has lead to me not updating for a year even while I am writing *facepalm* anyway I refuse to let this become a deadfic so ill keep at it even if it takes me a decade.  
> On the other hand I used some of the time spent getting frustrated on it by fixing as well as I could earliest chapters and using the whole "" thingies I always forget.

"Give me one good reason to not carve you open elf. "

Thorin was fuming, face twisted in an ugly snarl, stalking all around the little cove on the road were they had settled to camp, furthest away from the cursed river as they could before nightfall. Bilbo would worry for his blood pressure if fuming wasn’t Thorin's default state of being, with the few remaining time dedicated to brooding. Luckily he had calmed somewhat since the incident, all previous thoughts about fighting held on check on the urgent need to get Fili into cover, away from the water, and by Kili's sobbing presence. But now that they were safe it was apparently time to start again the "lets blame everything on the elf" game, pity said elf was very pointedly ignoring him from his spot on the floor cradling Filli's head. They had managed to get the lad dry after getting his armor out and outfitting him in a set of spares, a hard job since Kili refused to let go from where he was draped over his brother. 

"Fee, Fee, wake up, I am sorry, you are always telling me to be more careful. "

The young dwarf was at least coherent now but his distress was evident, hands twisting in his brother's clothes and hair, his own in complete disarray above glassy, slightly manic eyes. 

"Why won’t he wake up? What if he doesn’t wake up? "

Legolas hummed softly and reached for the next dry towel Ori was handing him, Fili's golden mane giving them the most work. 

"Fret not, your brother is young and strong, he will find his way back from the fog. "

"What if he won’t? Fee, Fee, wake up, what will I tell mom and dad? "

Bilbo patted Kili's hair from where he was sitting by his side, the day was obviously taking his toll on the young dwarf and he was falling asleep. Even when Legolas gave back the cloth and folded a dry one he used to replace his legs the boy barely filched at the movements, focused as he was on his brother's face as if he could will him to wake up.

"Wake up Fee, I am too scared to be alone. You are the responsible one remember? A king can’t go around falling asleep every time he falls into a river. "

Bilbo kept stroking till the dwarf breathing evened to match his brother's then gave the elf still hovering a quick look.

"Is there no way...? "

"Maybe, but I am no healer and my knowledge of magic is...limited, to be kind. Since we lack choice the only thing we have left is time. "

The rest of the company made their way to them after settling their camp, all worried eyes for the blonde dwarf, the moment was almost solemn, so of course one of them had to ruin it. 

"Pity the lad didn’t hit it, at the very least we would dinner decently tonight. "

It was during moments like this when Bilbo wanted to smack some subtlety into Dwalin, with his own battle hammer if possible, since that looked like the only language he knew. But alas, it was too late, he could see Legolas white face growing tense by the second.

"He is not food, he..... "

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by such a loud roar coming from Thorin that Bilbo worried would awake Kili, but the young dwarf only frowned and burrowed deeper into the sheets they had draped over him and his brother. 

"Oh, yes we can’t let anything happen to daddy's little pet don’t we, who cares about those filthy dwarves after all. "

"He is neither a.... "

"Silence! "

He had to give it to the elf, impressive amount of self restraint otherwise Thorin would be a pincushion by now, but he could feel cold waves flowing of him, face long and impenetrable, like a marble statue with glowing eyes. 

"Only out of respect toward our kinsman that we..... "

"Oi,oi, don’t get me into this problem your highness, he can put you trough a skewer by himself, no need to drag me into the mudfight. "

Gimli was obviously not happy to be interrupted from his smoking to be dragged into the fight, not even after Thorin derisive snort after his words.

"Mahal curse me the day I fear a elf, cowards that attack from the shadows, to the very last one. "

The red haired dwarf murmured something that sounded like, "Say that to the oliphant"? A very odd choice of words indeed, but he must have heard ok because everybody was also looking funny at Gimli, Legolas was smiling though, it must be a shared joke quite pointedly delivered to clear the air, who said dwarves could not be subtle?. It worked not only on said elf, it gave Thorin pause, leaving him blinking owlish, even if only for a second. But the dwarf king would not let himself be distracted from his quarry, stubborn mule that he was, well Bilbo was the one that had enough here. What had Gandalf said? Save us all from the stubbornness of dwarves? Something like that. 

"Oh for goodness sake Thorin Oakenshield, it was not his fault and you know it, stop pretending otherwise. "

The resulting stunned silence from his outburst makes him blush under wide eyes and open mouths, but really if the wizard wasn’t here to knock some sense into the dwarf king, the Bilbo would have to. Even if Thorin did look so incredibly fetching when angry, all dark scowls and long strides, like a snarling beast. Getting a little sidetracked there, old champ. 

"Now please could you all tune it down, you are going to awake Kili and he is more than distressed already. "

Legolas wasted no time and made a graceful exit toward Gimli, but Thorin stood there jaw clenched and shoulders tense, his bright blue eyes radiating hurt and betrayal, it was like a knife in Bilbo's own heart. The dwarf king wavered on place, obviously undecided and for a second he feared that hurt would bloom in a explosion between them. It didn’t, Thorin gave his nephews a long look and the explosion seemed to curl in his eyes, turning harsher and more painful, shoulders slumped defeated before the king gave a short nod and proceeded to stalk his way as further from the three of them he could. It left him confused and split, one part of him bent of keeping watch over the children while the other screamed for him to do something, anything, for Thorin. 

He gave a quick look around, Gloin and Oin were quite obviously keeping watch and border around their own kin, elvish or not, Dori was busy convincing his little brother to eat some of the fruit rations they had left, one would think it would get easier but Ori just seemed to hate them the more he had to eat them. In the overall everyone appeared to be busy, or was at least pretending to be, even Bifur who was muttering in kuzdul to his cousin and shaking his head. Finally his eyes fell on the Fundin brothers who seemed to be holding a conference close to were Thorin had burrowed himself, Dwaling seemed to be the less convinced of whatever it was and kept growling at his brother who shacked his head gently. It went for a while in the same manner until they felt Bilbo's gaze, this time it was the bald dwarf who gave denial with his head before storming in a huff and leaving his brother smiling calmly at Bilbo before sauntering slowly to his side.

"Go to him lad, I’ll keep an eye over them. "

Balin, bless his heart could always be counted on to be the perceptive one in a group that seemed to lack it altogether. He gave the old dwarf a grateful smile; he was not going to waste the opportunity and strolled decisively toward Thorin, all the time feeling as going toward his execution. Thorin had claimed a rock at the end of their perimeter, were the waning and trembling light of the campfire barely reached, as if not even the fire wanted to dwell in the menacing shadow of the forest. 

"Thorin..... "

"Leave me be halfing "

It seemed they were back to the impersonal address, as always, one step ahead and two back with the stubborn dwarf, but stubbornness had never stopped one Bilbo Baggins.

"Thorin I didn’t mean to.... "

"I know what you meant halfling, and, and you are right, I am the only one to blame here. Yet again I have left my pride to hinder our quest and now I have brought harm on my own kin. "

"I didn’t say it was your fault Thorin. "

"No but you implied it, rightfully so, and while I cannot resent you feelings, with your acting you have overruled my authority and potentially split the company. "

"I didn’t mean to do any of those things. "

"I know which is why I didn’t act against you, and for my nephew’s sake to. But halfing my affections will not be taken as a way for me to be humiliated in front of my subjects, is that understood. "

Thorin's voice had the same cracked and raw something it had when Gandalf gave him the key or when he saw Azog, Bilbo idly wondered if somewhere along the line the dwarf had lost his tears and this was how he could still cry. Maybe someday Thorin would let Bilbo cry for him, but is obvious today would not be that day. 

"I...yes, I am very sorry Thorin. "

Something seemed to uncoil in the dwarf but his shoulders remained tense and his voice raw. 

"I know Bilbo, but I would prefer to be left alone, please leave me, go to my nephews they need it more. "

He made the short way back with a heavy heart, wondering if the little tentative dream they had managed to build in the past weeks was just washing away like castles in the sand even before they even gave it a name. Upon his return he found Balin deeply asleep against a blanket, the stressful day had obviously been too much for him to, it was now Bofur who kept watch over the three of them, lazily smoking some of the few remaining leaf they had.

"Hello there Bilbo, why the long face? Did his highness eat you out?"

How did the damn dwarf make everything sound so dirty even when he was apparently worried. Nonetheless it wasn’t like he could change that, or even bee in the mood to try, so he simply slumped down and pulled his own pipe out.

"No, Bofur, Thorin didn’t…eat me out, as you say, rather he believes that I blame him, even worse I think he blames himself. "

"That’s who Thorin is am afraid, he takes responsibility of everything that goes wrong with any under his care, even if he wasn’t even involved. It turns a hundred times worse with something he perceives to be his fault, especially since it happened to his nephew. "

"I would not worry too much about him. "

Both of them jumped at the unexpected voice above their heads, one look up confirmed that it was indeed Nori, being lazy and draped over a low branch just above their heads.

"How in Mahal name did you got there without me seeing, and when? "

"Trade secrets pigtails, anyway is not like I had much hardship slipping through a subpar sentry as you. "

Bilbo had to choke a laugh at the eyebrow wiggle he gave with that; braided eyebrows gave the gesture a whole new level.

"Very funny, starfish. Why are you here anyway, don’t you have training or something? It’s the only thing you seem to do lately. "

"Bofur didn’t quote the training word but the way he drawled it, low and long, was actually more obvious, if possible. "

"Believe it or not, I actually do know when things are appropriate. "

"Nori of Ri, did you just learn that word? We are so proud of you. "

The three peaked dwarf made a show of throwing toward his friend a spark of his freshly light pipe.

"As if Dori would let me go through life without what he perceives as a necessary vocabulary. Anyway as I was saying, is not an appropriate moment for training, and well he is busy that’s why I said to not worry about our fearless leader. "

Nori pronunciation of the word was even lower than Bofur, plus huskier; at this step Bilbo could never pronounce training ever again or die of shame trying. Distracted as he was by that thought it took him a while to get what the dwarf was speaking about and so he was the last of the three to actually turn around to where he had left Thorin. Dwalin was with him, of course he was, their browns were together, his hand on the other's nape and there was a slow head butting motion between them, more like a rocking than anything else. The bald dwarf was obviously saying something because Thorin had a light smile on his closed eyed face. In the overall the scene made Bilbo feel warmer and happier, not mentioning relieved, he could not reach Thorin, not yet, but at least there was someone that could. 

Now slightly calmer over the whole affair, he resigned himself to a night of smoking and watching over the boys. Bofur had returned to a lounge against the tree but for all his apparent relaxation Nori’s eyes were firmly rooted on Legolas, well it seemed as much as a good moment as he could get to bring the topic up. 

"I thought I understood Thorin dislike for them, especially after what happened, but the way you all behave, it's obviously more deeprooted than that. Dwarves have as much history with Men's as with elves, yet you don’t seem to distrust every Men you come across or think they are all the same. One could even go ahead and say they are very alike, Man's and elves, well, you know, big folk. "

Bofur gave a snort by his side, and after a look toward Nori it seemed he would be the one in charge of explanations this time. 

"One would think so yes? After all they are so calm, and pretty, taller and slighter than Men’s but no big difference there right? Why judge an entire kind on the behavior of a few, especially when they have been known to help us even in the face of our distrust. "

Bofur took some deep puffs from his pipe and his gaze settled were the elf prince laid curled against a certain red haired dwarf.

"Is their eyes. "

"Their eyes? "

"Aye, pretty things, like gems, more faceted than the Arkenstone, but that’s the problem there you see, even with Gimli's wee prince pretty blues. They don’t reflect laddie, not you or me, or even this gloomy old forest of them, the light they have it comes from inside, like glowing bottomless ponds. In the towns they say they are born old, that they were all created in the dawn of time and sleep waiting for their turn, one can easily believe that looking on their eyes. "

Bofur began to hum softly and for a moment Bilbo though the matter at hand over till he began to sing. 

"Be long road or deep mountain  
On the night of the land  
Some truths hold universal acclaim.  
Dwarves you can hear, a mile of walk away  
Orcs and goblins foul the air, roughly the same way.  
Troll’s will somehow, manage to do both  
Cows will moo, Wargs will howl.  
Men will fancy themselves, of the quiet and calm sort  
Being neither nor both, they are easy to hold.  
But while the forest is dark.  
In glowing eyes you lay  
Either wolf or elf matters few. "

Bofur gave a dramatic pause and a lopsided smile, Bilbo knew, just knew that there would be a horrible punch line delivered in perfect deadpan very soon. 

"Its to late "

And there it was, let it not be said Dwarves were of the unpredictable sort, 

"Is this like the incineration thing? Your humor leaves much to be desired Bofur. "

"Funny thing, my brother says the same, the lads find them fun tough. "

But the lads weren’t around to laugh at the horrible gallows humor like they usually did, by their side Fili was still lost to the fog and Kili slept restless, fingers clenching in spasms were he laid over his brother chest, small whimpers leaving his mouth from time to time, that Bilbo smothered with calming strokes at his hair. 

"Anyway, little song sadly not my doing laddie, it’s all Nori, easier way for them not very respectable folks, to remember or teach the ha....trade. "

Nori gave them a small lopsided grin before returning his attention toward the bundled elf and yes, even from this distance Bilbo could see the blue eyes reflecting what little light the fire kept shinning. 

“You fear them? I don’t understand”

This time it was Nori the one with the caustic reply. 

"What is there not to fear master Baggins? An enemy that can't be matched, that will always run faster than you, hear better than you and whose gaze will reach further than yours. And on their own grounds like, for example, this forest unbeatable by any but their own kin. Thorin doesn't want to think about it but believe me; he knows that if the princeling wanted us dead, we would be dead before taking notice. "

"Well nobody said they were not disquieting sometimes, especially after a while, that doesn’t make them distrustful or evil. "

"Nay, you are right laddie, but is hard to trust something you can barely understand”

Bilbo though that such thing wasn’t hard at all after all he was the one that understood them all the less and here he was


End file.
